Barclays Goal of the Season winner...

‘Aston Villa’s Kirsty Hanson only scores bangers’ according to the club’s social media channels. Not surprisingly, then, she’s won the Barclays Goal of the Season

“How about that for a hit,” was the commentary that accompanied Kirsty Hanson’s top-corner finish from a short corner against West Ham in October. The striker won the October Goal of the Month award. “That was something really special.”

It certainly was.

Hanson took a quick short corner and received the ball back after a neat one-two with Lynn Wilms. She then looked up and, with time to pick her spot, she unleashed an unstoppable effort with her left foot into the top right corner to register her first goal of the 2025-26 season.

It was Hanson’s second long-range effort of the game. Earlier in the match, she had attempted another shot from distance. She didn’t quite find the target on that occasion, but her radar was firmly locked on its target at the second time of asking.

Hanson has been ever present for Villa this season and has scored 12 goals in total, making her Villa’s top scorer for the season, and the second highest scorer in the BWSL, behind Khadija Shaw. Her 12 goals have come from a total of 56 shots, 28 of which found the target. Only three players had more efforts on goal, and only Bunny Shaw hit the target more.

Hanson, who last reached double figures in 2017-18, has been revelling playing in a more central role.

“I used to play that when I was younger and I scored a lot when I was in there as well. Then, for most of my career, I've been a winger, so I've been assisting more than scoring.”

Hanson scored another sensational goal in February, against Brighton, which was also nominated for the Goal of the month award, but it’s her howitzer in East London that was her pick of the bunch.

Her effort against West Ham secured Villa’s first win of the season, and she never looked back.

Word credit: Nick Judd